Twist in Karnataka Assembly elections! Congress offers support to JD(S) to form government

New Delhi: With no party getting a clear majority in the 224-member assembly after several rounds of counting of votes, though the BJP is leading in 105 seats out of the 222 seats fought, the Congress on Tuesday offered support to the JD(S) for government formation in the southern state.

The Congress preemptively made the move to ally with the HD Deve Gowda-led JD(S) and deny BJP the chance to form the next government in Karnataka.

While the BJP with 105 seats has emerged as the single largest party, it is still short of the halfway mark of 112. On the other hand, the Congress and JDS have bagged 77 and 38 seats respectively, giving the two a total of 115 which is well above the halfway mark.

Elections were held for just 222 seats and so any party or alliance will need 112 seats to form a government in the state. If Congress and JDS enter into a post-poll alliance, then they can very well deny the BJP a chance to form a government in the state in spite of the latter finishing within a striking distance of the halfway mark.

Congress leaders quickly got in touch with the JD(S) of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy.